


My Best Friend

by catnipArsen



Series: Tales of Ymir-Fritz University (and substories, perhaps) [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anxiety, Awkward Flirting, Childhood Sweethearts, College, Coming Out, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Frottage, Growing Up, High School, Kissing, M/M, Making Out, Middle School, Minor Original Character(s), Mostly Reiner's POV, Mutual Masturbation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reiner Being an Awkward Dork
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-21
Packaged: 2018-12-30 02:00:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12098247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catnipArsen/pseuds/catnipArsen
Summary: ON HOLD FOR A WEEK, 10/24/17In Middle School, Reiner and Bertholdt were best friends.  Reiner was a spunky, kind kid with a heart of gold who had a knack for wooing girls, usually unintentionally.  Bertholdt was short.  Very short, and veryveryshy; except when he was around Reiner.In High School, Reiner and Bertholdt were lovers; two inseparable peas in a pod.In College, Reiner and Bertholdt were engaged.**hfs what is a summary anyway?  idk**Rating may change.**Check for chapter notes for potential tags and warnings.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A prequel-ish substory to my College AU story Love Quietly.  
> I just wanted to play with how Bertl and Rei might have gotten together or something, idk I just want my best boys together and happy BECAUSE THEY DESERVE HAPPINESS AND THEY SURE AS HELL AIN'T GETTIN' IT IN CANON!
> 
> Also I love tiny ReiBert because they're tiny and pure and precious
> 
> This chapter's a lil short, sorrysorry

Reiner greeted the new day with a big, deep inhale.  He stood in the sunlight and stared forward, backpack slung over his shoulders, filled with notebooks and pencils for note taking (and for the occasional drawings in the margins of said notes). It had been three long months since he stood before these large glass doors, the very doors that would trap him for eight hours a day until the end of May when he could be free again.  He fussed a bit with his hair, freshly cut the night before.   _‘After all,’_ his mother had said, _‘it’s not everyday your little boy goes off to eighth grade for the first time and he’s got to look his very best!’_  That much was true, it was the only first day of eighth grade he’d ever get, and he did want to look good.  Though Reiner wouldn’t lie, he definitely needed the hair cut regardless of school starting or not. _‘What a mop!’_  Gabi would say.   _‘Yeah, I like mops.’_  Was Reiner’s retort.  

A car honk pulled him from his focus.  “Have fun at school, Reinie!”  His mom called from her car.  “I love you!”

“Love you too, ma!”  He smiled and waved as she drove off.

‘Reinie’ stood there in front of the school and surveyed the students gathering outside, many of whom he had known from the year before--Pieck, the really nice, but somewhat eccentric kid from his Social Studies class; Adrielle Schmidt, his ex-girlfriend who dumped him last year because he refused share his pudding cups; Katja Weber, his also ex-girlfriend who he dumped because…

“Reiner!”  A voice from behind snapped him out of student-gazing, a voice so familiar a wide grin spread across Reiner’s face.  He whipped around and greeted his best friend with a tight bear hug.  

“Bertl!”  Gosh, he hadn't seen Bertholdt in almost a month, since Bertl’s family vacation to the Caribbean.   He missed his big ol' hugs, the kind that could make an upset Reiner feel happy again.  He was still a little shorter than Reiner--but a month of being away wouldn't make someone's height skyrocket, anyway.  His hair was a little longer than it was when he left for the trip, and his skin was a little darker, probably from all that Caribbean sun--but Reiner felt it really brought out the beauty in his already sun-kissed skin.  And his scent--damn if it didn't smell like he rolled around in a tub of coconut.  But Reiner wasn't complaining,  it was nice.  “When did you get back?”

Bertl scratched the back of his head.  “Uh, late last night.  I would have called you but I kinda crashed out when I got back home.”

“Did you have fun at least?”

“Oh yeah!  The beach is awesome!  You should go sometime!”

Reiner smirked.  “Well, invite me next time.”

“Hah, we’ll see.  I took a lot of pictures, though! I'll show them to you when we get them developed.”

“You better.  Hey do you know your class schedule yet?”

“Yeah!  I have English first period with Mrs Donn.  Then...uh...I can't remember...damn it!”  He groaned and rubbed his head, struggling to remember the order of his classes.  The first bell of the morning rang loud, startling both boys.  “Uh, oh geez.”

“That's ok.  I have Mrs Donn too so after that we can go to the office and get your schedule again.”  

The two walked into the building and made their way to their classroom.  “Have you seen Annie yet?”  Bertholdt asked, absentmindedly peering into the classrooms as they walked.

“Nah.  I haven’t seen Berwick either.”

Bertholdt wrinkled his nose.  “Ugh, is he still going by _Berwick?”_

“I’unno.  Haven’t talked to him all summer, that jerk.  He spent the summer with his grandparents and they don’t have internet.  They don’t even have phones.”

“Archaic.”

“Right?  Hey, if we pick our own seats, you should sit next to me.  Then we can pass notes.”

“Reiner, you’re such a delinquent.”

He rolled his eyes.  “Shut up.  I meant school notes.”

“Yeah right.”  

They did not get to pick their own seats, however they were lucky enough to get assigned seats beside each other.  Much to Bertl’s dismay, their first assignment was a social one--get to know your classmates and discuss the summer fun they had.  Of course, Reiner was certain that the shy, quiet Bertholdt would get swarmed by classmates, at least the ones who knew about his trip; so to protect his friend, he swooped in as fast as he could. “Hi, oh wow, Bertl, I haven’t seen you on, wh--like a month?  How was your vacation, buddy?”

Bertholdt laughed.  “Ah, well, we went to the Caribbean, saw some cool stuff...uh, but I have pictures to show you.  No spoilers!”  Reiner faked a pout.  “What about you?”

The blond gave him a sly grin.  “Well if you must know, Katja asked me out.”

Bertholdt gasped.  “Oh, what?  C’mon, spill those deets!”

“Ok, please don’t ever say that again.  You’re too pure and good for that kind of talk.  But yeah, she called me up about when you left for your trip, right?  And she’s like…”  Reiner cleared his throat and did his best ‘girl’ voice.  “ _Hi, Reiner.  I was wondering if you want to see Phantom Thief with me.’_ and I was like ‘Oh yeah, girl, I’ll be there.  Tomorrow night at seven thirty’.  And she said, _‘Oh great!  By the way I have a crush on you.  You’re so strong and masculine.  And you have so many muscles, and you’re super smart and handsome and your hair is super sexy and…_ ’”

“Now I _know_ you’re lying to me.”

“No!  She really said that!”  Bertl crossed his arms, and Reiner sighed.  “Well, she said the first part.  But I’d like to think that she thought I was super muscular and smart and sexy.”

“Are you still dating?”

“N-no.  She...she wasn’t really nice.  She didn’t like it when I talked about Annie.  Or _to_ Annie.  Or was anywhere _near_ Annie.”

The brunette frowned.  “Oh.  I’m sorry.”

“Yeah she didn’t like it when I talked about you either.  She said that since we were dating, she was going to be my best friend and no one else, so...”  He trailed off, but Bertholdt didn’t press the topic further.  Clearly these were things that would bother anyone, but Reiner especially had sensitivities to that type of behavior.  A few seconds of wallowing in silence, then Reiner let out a dry laugh.  “Wow, I didn’t mean to kill the mood.  Talk about a bummer.”

“No, it’s good!  I mean...not what happened.  That’s not good.  But I’m glad I know.  Thanks for telling me.  OH!  Also, I forgot!”  Bertholdt shuffled through his backpack.  “I got something for your birthday since I wasn’t here for it.  Uhh...where is...here!”  He pulled out a small box and handed it to Reiner.  It wasn’t wrapped, but it had a little colored pencil drawing of a bow on the top.  Reiner glanced at Bertholdt.  “Didn’t have a real bow.”

He pulled the lid off the box and pulled out a thin silver bracelet with a small U shaped hook.  “What’s this?”

“It’s called a hook bracelet.  We got it in St. Croix.  It’s supposed to symbolize ‘home.’  I know you’re not from St. Croix, but it could mean something different to you.  Also I thought it looked neat.  I got one too!”  Bertl moved his sleeve out of the way to reveal an identical bracelet.  “Dad joked around about getting you some awesome booze instead but mom said no.”

Reiner chuckled.  “I don’t think I can drink booze anyway.  Taking cold medicine still makes me feel like crap.  Can you imagine hard liquor?  Whew!  But thanks, Bertl.  I love it.  Um, can you help me put it on?”  Bertl nodded and took the bracelet from Reiner’s fingers and carefully fastened the bracelet around the blond’s wrist.  As Bertl’s fingers were brushing against the inside of his wrist, goosebumps grew slowly up his arm.

“Cold?”  Bertl asked.

“Nah.” _It felt nice._ “Thanks.”

Mrs Donn’s surprisingly loud voice bellowed through the room, instructing them of the much dreaded ‘syllabus time’.   _Thou shalt turn in homework on time.  Thou shalt have an arbitrary participation grade worth a large chunk of your GPA.  Thou shalt not be tardy more than three times a semester (punishable by in-school suspension)._ Still, it wasn’t a bad first day, and Mrs Donn was surprisingly lenient when it came to the tardiness policy, which Reiner was super grateful for.  

Once the first class bell rang, Bertholdt leapt from his seat.  “Ok, hurry, Reiner!  I don’t know my next class!”

“Hey, relax. It’s only your first day.  You have five more of these to go.  You won’t miss much, I promise.”  Reiner reassured him, and Bertl let out a small sigh.  

“You’re right.  Thanks, Rei.”  He smiled.  “Let’s go?”

Reiner returned the smile.  “Let’s go.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi! For the Reibertttt commenter, eighth grade in the USA us equivalent to Europe’s ‘9th year (or ages 13-14.) So in this fic, since American school years start in late August, Reiner would be newly 14 years at this point in time, and Bertl would still be 13, since his birthday is in December. 
> 
>  
> 
>   
> (Also, brief mentions of Colt. idk how old he’s supposed to be in canon so let’s pretend he’s their age….)  
> 

“So.”  Reiner said as he sat across the table from Bertholdt.  The cafeteria was full of buzz and laughter, so Reiner had to lean in towards Bertl to hear.  “Didja miss the school lunches?”  

Bertholdt prodded the mysterious meat lump on his plate.  “Oh, yeah.   _Totally._ ”  

“Hey, what's the weirdest thing you ate on your trip?”

“Uh, well _I_ didn't eat anything too weird but my dad tried iguana.  He liked it.”

Reiner pouted.  “Aw, man.  You should have tried it.  I wanna know what lizard tastes like.”

“Maybe next time?”  Bertl shrugged, reluctant to put the school lunch anywhere near his face and debated just packing his own lunch the rest of the year.  

“You should come over after school.  Ma would be glad to see you.  She kept asking if I heard from you and if you were having fun.”

“Oh, yeah?  Maybe. I might just go home, though.  Gotta shower and sleep this jetlag off.”  Bertl’s eyes flicking back past his friend every so often.  

As Reiner was about to turn and see what Bertl was looking at, he felt a finger violate his ear, wet with spit.  “Ah, gross!”  He recoiled and swatted the hand away.  “Why?  Ugh, _nasty!_ ”  

Marcel howled with laughter and took a seat beside a grimacing Reiner, who was desperately trying to clean the saliva from his ear.  “What?  C’mon, Reiner.  You like my spit in your ear.”

“Only when I ask.”  Reiner rested his head on Marcel’s shoulder and waggled his eyebrows jokingly.  

“Oh, Mr Braun, stop it.  We agreed, never in public.”  Marcel laughed and playfully pushed Reiner away.  “Ah, man.  The gang’s all back together.  I missed you guys.”

Bertl shook his head.  “Annie’s not here.”

“Alright, so the _best_ members of the gang are back.  Eh, where is she, anyway?”

“Probably hanging around Colt someplace.”  Reiner murmured, grimacing at the bite of food he took.  “They spent a _lot_ of time together over summer.”

“ _Gay._ ”  Marcel teased.

“It's not gay.”  Bertl squeaked.

“ _Straight._ ”

“So,”  Reiner hummed, “Are we still calling you by your middle name or can we call you by your normal, human name?”

Marcel huffed as he poked at his own food.  “Call me by my real name.  I got a chance to meet my Great Uncle Berwick this summer, the guy my middle name is named after.  I thought he was cool at first but then it turns out he's not that cool, he's dumb, and kind of a racist.”

“Whoa...alright, Marcel it is then.”

“So,”  Marcel asked between bites, “what did _you_ do this summer, Reiner?  Get any hot babes?”

“Geez, _‘hot babes’_...who talks like that?”

“An edgy teen who’s been with a bunch of old people all summer.  I'm deprived, Reiner!  I haven't seen anyone my age, let alone a girl, in three months!”

The blond rolled his eyes.  “Come on, you’re _the_ Marcel Galliard.  Have class.  Control yourself.  But I didn't do anything fun this summer and I didn't get any ‘hot babes’.  I went swimming.  That's pretty much it.  Oh, hey, what's your next class?”

Marcel peeked at the crumpled schedule stuffed into his pocket.  “Um... science with Ms Hange.”

“Me too!”  Bertl smiled, glad he’d have two classes in his lineup where he'd have actual friends.  “We should sit together.”

“Ah, well maybe.  If Katja is in that class, too, I may try and sit with her.  I can tell, she’s been giving me eyes all day.  I think she’s got somethin’ for good ol’ Marcie.”  Marcel grinned, picking some stray lint off his shirt.  

“Oh, God.”  

“Do _not._ ”  Reiner scowled, only going into further detail when Marcel gave them a confused look; after repeating the situation that he’d told Bertl earlier in the day, Marcel agreed--No Katja.  

"But you lied to me about the ‘babe’ thing.”

 

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

 

After parting ways with Bertholdt, who decided to head home and take a well deserved power nap, Marcel and Reiner made their way to the Galliard home to play Marcel’s favorite PvP game, _Street Rumble II_.  The two burst in the front door and Reiner was promptly greeted with a big hug from Mrs Galliard, and a friendly wave from the Mr.  Marcel’s brother, Porco, sat on the living room floor with a puzzle of impressive difficulty for an eleven year old.  “Hey, Porco.” Marcel waved.

“Hey, Marcie.”

“Hey, Porco.”  Reiner waved as well.

“Nerd.”

Reiner didn't take it to heart and instead smirked and followed Marcel to the downstairs living area where the best television resided, and it was marvelous.  What was more marvelous was that when the boys had begun playing, it seemed as if Marcel somehow had gotten _better_ , even after not having played for so long.  

“Seriously, why are you so good, what the hell?”

“Watch your language.”  Marcel warned, eyes stationed on the monitor.  “In this house, we say ‘what the fuck’.”  

“Maybe _you_ do.  I've never heard anyone else swear here.”

“Porco does.”  

Reiner scoffed.  “No he doesn't.”  

“Ok maybe he doesn’t swear, but you'd be _amazed_ at the creative insults about you he flings around daily.  I think yesterday he called you ‘a mindless, washed-up snake oil salesman.’ I don't think he used the term right but he tried.”

“Snake oil salesman…?”

“Pretty much called you a fake.”

“Yeah, what's his deal with me?”

Marcel shrugged.  “I dunno.  Maybe you're just _too_ awesome.  Maybe he can't handle how awesome you are.”

The tv made a less than pleasing sounds as Reiner’s in-game character died and burst into pixelated oblivion.  “Damn. I mean, I’d be jealous of me if I were him. I _am_ pretty awesome.”

“Not at this game.”

“Oh, for sure, I suck ass at this game.”

Marcel began a new round in the game and promptly began destroying Reiner's character.   “Still.  I'm sorry about Katja.  Are you ok?”

Reiner blinked, trying to keep his concentration.  “Yeah.  I just...it was really familiar.  I don't want to be like my mom.”  Guilt curled in his stomach--maybe he shouldn’t have said that.

“You won't be.  Because you're awesome.  And very gay.”

Another scoff from Reiner.   “I'm not gay.”

“Then why are you _sucking so hard?”_  He exclaimed and disintegrated Reiner’s character once again.  

“Excuse me.”  A small voice came from the stairwell and the boys turned to see Porco’s head peeking down at them.  “I can't concentrate on my puzzle when I'm listening to you two be weird together.  Keep it down.”

“Trust me, it can get even _weirder._ ”  Reiner smirked and wiggled his brows, to which Porco replied with an irritated glare.  Reiner sneered.   _Such attitude from a tiny, tiny child._  “We'll keep it down.”

“Wanna play?”  Marcel asked, gesturing to the menu screen on the tv.  “You can have the guest controller.”

“That sounds repulsive.”  He grimaced and headed back upstairs to work on his puzzle.

“Seriously, what's with that kid?”  Reiner whispered.

The brunette leaned back and stretched.  “He gets the attitude from dad.  Dad's a bit more discrete but he's pretty vicious with his insults.”

“Let me guess...you get your grotesque boyish charm from your mom, then?”

Marcel winked and finger gunned.  “You got it, baby.”

Reiner chuckled and leaned into the plush couch they'd been sitting on, and to his dismay, Marcel tossed his legs over his lap, taking up the entire couch.  “ _Wow._ ”

“I know, right?”

“You need new shoes.”  Reiner mumbled, poking the obviously tattered shoes Marcel wore.

He shrugged.  “Eh, I like to wear ‘em into the ground.  Get the most out of the money, y’know?”

Reiner sighed, but accepted that answer.  “You want to play another round?”

“Hell yeah!”

“Excuse you.  I thought it was ‘fuck yeah’?”

A scoff from behind them made the boys jump.  “Not in _this_ house!”  Mrs Galliard stood at the foot of the steps with her arms crossed, brows slightly furrowed.  Reiner sank lower into the couch.

“S-sorry, Mrs G.”

“Sorry, mom…”

She kept her half-glower for a few more seconds before it dissipated.  “It’s alright, boys.  Reiner, are you staying for dinner? I was planning on steaks but maybe I should make soap instead to wash that filthy language from both your mouths.”

Marcel sank into the couch as well.  “Again, really sorry.  But Reiner _is_ staying, right buddy?”

“Yeah.  Well...depends if we're eating soap or not.”  

Mrs Galliard smirked.  “No soap tonight if you both agree to wash dishes afterward.”  The boys agreed--a fair exchange of labor for misuse of language in the home.  

After the dishwashing extravaganza, Reiner hiked his way back to his own home.  Among arriving, his mother informed him of a new voicemail for him from Bertholdt. _‘Hey Rei!  I got my pictures back!  Mom won’t let me take them to school tomorrow, but you can come over, or I can go to your house.  Then we can look at them.  There’s a picture of a really big dolphin and her baby!  It was so cool, Reiner!  They’re really cool, so I’m excited to show you.  A lot of them are a little blurry but some of them are good.  Uh, oh.  Ok, well good night!  I’ll see you tomorrow!’_

Reiner smiled as he listened to the message.  He could just imagine Bertl’s little arms flailing around, getting super into whatever he was talking about.  He always did that, and that’s how Reiner could tell what actually interested him.  It was a fun little quirk that he didn’t think Bertl knew he did, but it was something Reiner absolutely loved.  


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kno it's a slow start but it'll pick up soon! I got years worth of content to write about. ♡

While sitting in his math class with his chin resting in his hands, Reiner was only sort of paying attention.  The teacher, Mr Mund, was going over the type of math Reiner took last year; so Reiner took this opportunity to zone out a bit and glance around the classroom.  There was Pieck sitting on the other side of the room, jotting down notes without looking at the paper she was writing on--impressive.  Just behind her was Colt, whom he hadn't spoken to since last year.  And behind  _ him _ was a girl whose name, after yesterday's introduction assignment, he learned was Katrina; a redhead with long, curly ringlets of hair and freckles sprinkled across her face. 

Past her, there was a poster with the most ridiculous math pun, ‘Parallel lines have so much in common.  It's a shame they'll never meet.’  He chuckled to himself, reading it over and over.  He hadn't realized he'd been staring at that poster for a while until he saw Katrina turn her head and give him a weak smile.   _ Oh damn, she probably thinks I was staring at her. _  Nervous and unsure how to recover, he just returned the smile and turned his attention back to the whiteboard.  

During lunch, Reiner, Marcel, and Bertl were chatting about potential clubs and sports they'd want to sign up for.  Reiner was very interested in joining a sport, probably wrestling, whereas Bertl was looking for something a bit more intellectually stimulating.  “Well,”  Bertl hummed, “I don’t think I’m all that strong.  I don’t know how well sports would work for me.  Especially something like wrestling.”

Reiner pat his shoulder.  “Ah, come on, Bertl, they’ll help train you so you can get stronger.  You don’t have to do that sport either.  There are others.  Like baseball.”

“Or basketball.”  Marcel suggested.  Bertholdt frowned.  He knew he couldn’t do basketball.  He was barely five feet tall.  Basketball was no way an option.  “What about that beginner behavior science class?  It looks interesting.  I was thinking about joining that elective.”

“Don’t you need a sport to get into that fancy ass high school?”

Marcel nodded.  “Yeah, but if I take gym all this year, it counts.  So, it’s decided.  Bert, you and I are taking that class!”  Bertl opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off.  “Ah, no words.  Just class.”

Reiner felt a finger tap his shoulder.  He turned toward the source, surprised to be met with the freckled redhead from math.  “Oh, hey.  What’s up?”

She shifted on her feet.  “Uh, can I talk to you?  Over there?”  She gestured to the corner of the cafeteria.  Reiner nodded and followed her.  “I was wondering why you were staring at me in math?”

The blond rubbed the back of his neck.  “Ah.  Yeah, I’m sorry.  I wasn’t looking at you.  There’s a dumb poster on the wall next to you I was looking at.”

Katrina seemed to frown.  “Oh.  I thought...I guess I thought you were looking at me.  That maybe you thought I was cute?”

“Oh, hah, no.”  She frowned more.  Reiner panicked.  “I-I mean, that’s not it.  Ah, not that you’re not cute!  That’s not it, you’re a good looking girl.  But I wasn’t...staring...at you.  Oh God, I’m sorry.”

“So you think I’m cute?”

“No.  Uh, _ yes? _  I mean...damn it.  Um.  I mean, I said you were good looking.”

Katrina let out a little laugh.  “It’s ok.  I know what you mean.”

“Oh, good.”  Reiner sighed in relief.  At least she understood what he meant.

“I think you’re cute too.”  Nope, she did not. 

_ Uh… _

“Have you seen the new Iron Diamond movie?”  Katrina asked.

“Iron Diamond: Phantom Thief?”

“Yeah.  I was going to try and see it next week. Do you want to go with me?”

_ Uhhh…   _

Reiner scratched the back of his neck again.  He wasn't sure about it...but he  _ did _ like that movie.  “Well, I just kind of got out of a thing with Katja.  I think it’s too soon.”

“What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

“Seriously, though.”

She crossed her arms.  “It’ll be fun, I promise!  We’ll meet up at the ShiganCinema Tuesday night.  Ok?”

“I don't know.”

“Aw, come on.”

He eventually took his seat at the table again and hid his head in his arms and groaned, earning confused looks from his friends and a pat on the back from Marcel.  “Y’ok, buddy?”  Another long groan.  “Wanna talk about it?”  Reiner eventually lifted his head.

“I think I have a date?”

“Good!”

“I don’t want to.” He let out another groan, softer, but a groan nonetheless.  “But might as well test it out again, see if I feel different about this one.”  Reiner mumbled.  Bertl raised a questioning brow, and Reiner felt his face get warm.  “I-I don’t mean…N-no, I mean dating, Bertl.  I swear.  NOTHING more.”  He heard Marcel giggling like a madman.  

“Wow, Reiner.  I didn’t know you did that yet.  Perv.”

“Shut up!”

“Reiner, if you don't want to do it, then don't.  Don't make yourself go just to spare her feelings.”  Bertholdt hummed.  

The blond sighed.  “It’s not just her.  I mean, maybe it's for me too.  Like...ok, you remember my last two girlfriends?  Adrielle dumped me because I wouldn't give her my pudding every day.  But even when we were dating it didn't feel like we were a couple.  And then Katja.  Dating her was work and I wasn't even happy, even in the good times.  Maybe I just have to sift through the girls and find the right one?”

“What’s your definition of ‘the right one’?”

“Someone I'm happy with? Someone who likes me for me and not what they can take from me?  Someone I actually have feelings for?”  

Marcel rested his head in his hand.  “And is Katrina the right one?” 

“I don't know, Marcel!  Probably not, knowing my track record!”  He buried his face in his arms again.  “It’d be so simple if one of my actual close friends liked me, and I liked them.”

A lightbulb seemed to manifest over Marcel’s head.  “What about Annie?”

“Ew, no, that's  _ too _ close.”

 

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

 

Bertholdt found himself walking home a lot faster than he normally would and Reiner followed close behind.  “Hey, what's the hurry?  The pictures will still be there, no matter how fast you walk.”  Reiner said.

“But I'm really excited to show you!”  Bertl smiled as he glanced over his shoulder at his friend.  “Didn't you hear my message?   _ Dolphin babies,  _ Reiner!”  

Smiling at Bertholdt's passion, Reiner followed quietly as they made their way to the Hoover household.  Going to Bertholdt's was always exciting to Reiner.  Bertl’s parents were very well off and their large, impeccable house showed it.  He could swear the this house could hold two of Reiner’s.  As they burst through the door, Reiner could instantly smell bacon in the air.  Mrs Hoover must be preparing dinner already--they did have a habit of eating dinner earlier than Reiner was used to.  “Hi, mom!  Reiner’s here, too, to look at the photos!”  Bertl called, flinging his shoes off at the threshold with Reiner’s coming off right after, because  _ ‘There is to be no dirty shoes on this brand new carpet.’ _

“Hi, Bertholdt.”  She called from the kitchen.  “Hi, Reiner.”

“Hi!”  he replied.  Bertl tugged at Reiner’s wrist and led him to the bedroom where his stash of ‘totally awesome vacation pics’ lived.  Reiner took a seat on his friend’s disgustingly neat bed.  Bertl dug through his desk drawer and tossed an album into Reiner’s hands.   _ These people waste no time if their pictures are already in an album. _  He noted.  “I stayed up all night organizing them!”  Bertl smiled.  Reiner returned the smile as he flipped open to the first page.  Of course you would.  

“This is me on the plane.  And that's my mom on the plane.  And my dad on the plane.  That's all of us together on the plane.  There's the view of the ground from the plane.  There are some cool clouds.”

“That one looks like a monkey.”  Reiner commented.

“Right?  Mom didn't really see it but I'm glad you did.  Oh, oh! That’s the in flight movie.”

“What is it?”

Bertl grimaced.  “It was ‘Biodome.’”

Reiner laughed.  “Ah, gross!”

“I know!  Um, do you want to skip ahead a couple pages?”

“I don't want to miss your cool vacation pictures, though!”

“Yeah, but...there's a  _ lot _ of plane photos…Like a  _ lot.  _ ”

Reiner flopped the page to the other side and sure enough there were two more pictures of the plane--some of Bertl’s food, some more of the sky, a very,  _ very  _ blurry selfie where it looked like he  _ could _ be smiling but could also be sneezing.  “Damn, that's a face only a mother could love.”  He laughed.  “This was your first real vacation, right?”  Bertholdt nodded.  No wonder he was so camera-happy.  Reiner admired all the pictures Bertholdt was showing him, even the blurry ones and the really dark ones he couldn't make out.  And sure enough, as Bertl was ranting about his vacation, his tiny hands were flailing around.

Reiner smiled


End file.
